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Recommended Capsids for Your Setup
Comprehensive Serotype Comparison
Side-by-side analysis of natural and engineered AAV variants. Data represents typical performance in preclinical models.
| Serotype | Primary Tropism | Delivery Routes | Species Notes | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AAV2
Natural
|
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High prevalence of NAbs in humans (~40-60%)
|
First clinically approved; heparin-binding; well-characterized
|
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AAV5
Natural
|
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Lower seroprevalence than AAV2; poor heparin binding
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Efficient RPE transduction; approved for Luxturna®
|
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AAV8
Natural
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Exceptional liver tropism in mice and NHPs; variable in humans
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~10-100x liver efficiency vs AAV2; low CNS penetrance
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AAV9
Natural
|
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Crosses BBB in neonates; variable in adults; broad species
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Broad tissue; systemic delivery; approved for Zolgensma®
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AAV1
Natural
|
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High muscle transduction across species
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Standard for intramuscular delivery; some neuronal transport
|
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AAV3
Natural
|
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Rare seroprevalence; heparin-independent
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Lower efficiency than AAV8; potential for evading NAbs
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AAV4
Natural
|
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Unique kidney preference; limited cross-species data
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Renal epithelium targeting; sialic acid receptor binding
|
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AAV6
Natural
|
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Efficient lung transduction in mice and humans
|
Respiratory epithelium preference; evades some AAV2 antibodies
|
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AAV6.2
Natural
|
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Isolated from non-human primate; distinct from AAV6
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Enhanced airway transduction vs parental AAV6
|
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AAV7
Natural
|
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Intermediate between AAV2 and AAV8 for liver
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Alternative to AAV8; good portal vein performance
|
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AAV10
Natural
|
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Similar to AAV8 but distinct receptor usage
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Cardiac tropism; pancreatic beta-cell transduction
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AAVrh10
Natural
|
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Rhesus macaque isolate; broad CNS distribution
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Used in clinical trials for MPS disorders; CSF distribution
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AAV-PHP.eB
Engineered
|
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C57BL/6J specific; reduced efficiency in other strains (BALB/c, FVB)
|
CRE-dependent BBB crossing; non-invasive brain-wide delivery
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AAV-PHP.S
Engineered
|
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Strain-dependent like PHP.eB; C57BL/6J optimal
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Peripheral nervous system enrichment; sensory neurons
|
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AAV-PHP.V1
Engineered
|
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C57BL/6J specific; vascular endothelium targeting
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Brain vasculature transduction; BBB endothelial cells
|
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AAV-DJ
Hybrid
|
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Synthetic hybrid; resistance to human sera
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Shuffled capsid; enhanced liver; reduced immunogenicity
|
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AAV-DJ/8
Hybrid
|
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Combines DJ and AAV8 properties
|
Improved cardiac vs parental DJ; reduced off-target
|
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AAV2-7m8
Engineered
|
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Mouse, NHP; crosses internal limiting membrane
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Reaches outer retina from vitreous; 7-amino-acid insertion
|
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AAV2-QuadY-F
Engineered
|
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Tyrosine-to-phenylalanine mutations; evades degradation
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Enhanced transduction; reduced proteasomal degradation
|
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rAAV2-retro
Engineered
|
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Mouse, rat; efficient projection neuron labeling
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Retrograde transport; circuit mapping; connectivity studies
|
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MyoAAV 2A
Engineered
|
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Cross-species: mouse, dog, NHP; 10-20x improvement
|
Directed evolution for muscle; reduced liver off-target
|
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MyoAAV 4A
Engineered
|
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Human primary myotubes; resistance to human NAbs
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Enhanced for human muscle; translational potential
|
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Anc80L65
Engineered
|
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Ancestral reconstruction; mouse, NHP, human
|
Hair cell transduction; clinical trials for deafness
|
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CAP-Mac
Engineered
|
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Macaque and human; BBB crossing in NHPs
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Translation of PHP technology to primates; evolved BBB crossing
|
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CAP-B10
Engineered
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Mouse and macaque; reduced liver detargeting
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Brain-specific; minimizes liver sequestration
|
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CAP-B22
Engineered
|
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NHP validated; spinal cord astrocytes
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Glial targeting; astrocyte transduction in primates
|
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AAVLK03
Natural
|
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Isolated from human liver; low NAb prevalence
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Clinical isolate; potential for liver gene therapy
|
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AAV-AS
Engineered
|
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Mouse; white and brown adipose tissue
|
Adipocyte-specific; metabolic disease applications
|
No serotypes match your search criteria.
FAQ & Technical Notes
Critical nuances in AAV biology that affect experimental outcomes and purchasing decisions.
Why do different papers report different tropism for the same capsid?
Tropism is highly context-dependent. Variability stems from dose (10^9 vs 10^12 VG/mouse), route (tail vein vs retro-orbital), age (P1 vs P21 vs adult), mouse strain (ICR vs C57BL/6), and vector construct (CBh vs CMV promoter). Always verify experimental parameters match your setup.
Does "tropism" mean "cell-type specificity"?
No. Tropism refers to physical delivery efficiency to a tissue, not expression specificity. True cell-type specificity requires combining capsids with cell-specific promoters (e.g., CaMKIIα for neurons, TBG for hepatocytes) or recombinase-dependent expression systems.
Why does delivery route matter so much?
Route often dominates over serotype choice. IV yields broad systemic distribution (liver, heart, muscle), while intrathecal restricts transduction to spinal cord and DRG. Local injection (striatum, retina) bypasses the blood-brain barrier but requires stereotaxic surgery. Route determines physical access; capsid determines cellular uptake efficiency.
How does promoter choice interact with capsid choice?
They act synergistically. Capsids deliver DNA to the nucleus; promoters drive expression. Example: AAV9 broadly transduces brain vasculature, but when packaged with Synapsin promoter, only neurons express. For your construct, we recommend matching high-efficiency capsids with your promoter of interest.
Are engineered capsids always better than natural ones?
Not necessarily. While engineered variants (PHP.eB, MyoAAV) offer remarkable efficiency in specific contexts, natural serotypes (AAV9, AAV8) have extensive clinical validation and broader species compatibility. Engineered capsids may also have licensing restrictions. Best choice depends on your validation requirements and translational path.
Do you provide screening panels or technical consultation?
Yes. We offer AAV serotype screening panels (6-12 variants) for pilot studies, and our scientists provide free pre-sales consultation to match capsids with your specific model system. Contact our technical team with your target tissue, species, and delivery route.
Request ConsultationReference Library
Primary literature for AAV serotypes and engineered variants
Core Natural Serotypes
Nakai et al. Unrestricted hepatocyte transduction with AAV serotype 8 vectors in mice. J Virol (2005).
Inagaki et al. Robust systemic transduction with AAV9 vectors in mice. Mol Ther (2006).
Grimm et al. In vitro and in vivo gene therapy vector evolution via multispecies interbreeding. J Virol (2008). (AAV-DJ)
CNS/PNS Engineered Capsids
Chan et al. Engineered AAVs for efficient noninvasive gene delivery to the central and peripheral nervous systems. Nat Neurosci (2017). (PHP.eB/S)
Hordeaux et al. AAV-PHP.B neurotropism is limited to C57BL/6J mice. Mol Ther (2018).
Chen et al. Engineered AAVs for Non-Invasive Gene Delivery to Rodent and NHP Nervous Systems. Neuron (2022). (MaCPNS)
Challis et al. AAV vectors for functional intravenous gene transfer throughout the NHP brain. Nat Nanotechnol (2023). (CAP-Mac)
Moyer et al. ALPL mediates transport of engineered AAV vectors across the BBB. Mol Ther (2025). (VCAP-102)
Retrograde Tracing
Tervo et al. A Designer AAV Variant Permits Efficient Retrograde Access to Projection Neurons. Neuron (2016).
Eye / Retina
Dalkara et al. In vivo-directed evolution of a new AAV for therapeutic outer retinal gene delivery from the vitreous. Sci Transl Med (2013). (7m8)
Klimczak et al. ScAAV-mediated gene delivery to the rhesus macaque retina: ShH10 and AAV5. PLoS One (2009).
Zinn et al. In silico reconstruction of the viral evolutionary lineage yields a potent gene therapy vector. Cell Rep (2015). (Anc80L65)
Endothelium
Airway
Limberis et al. Transduction efficiency of novel AAV serotypes 1-9 in the murine lung and pseudotyping effects. Mol Ther (2008). (AAV6.2)
Muscle
Tabebordbar et al. Directed evolution of AAV capsids enabling potent muscle-directed delivery across species. Cell (2021). (MyoAAV)
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Our Services
End-to-End AAV Solutions
From vector design and serotype selection to large-scale production and quality control, we support every stage of your gene therapy workflow.
Vector Production
Custom AAV production in research, GMP-like, and GLP grades with your choice of serotype and promoter.
- All 27 serotypes available
- Scales: 10^11 to 10^15 VG
- CRISPR, shRNA, ORF, reporter genes
QC & Analytics
Comprehensive quality control and titer verification to ensure batch-to-batch consistency and regulatory compliance.
- qPCR/ddPCR titering
- Purity & aggregation analysis
- Endotoxin & mycoplasma testing
Consultation & Panels
Expert guidance on serotype selection and customized screening panels to identify the optimal capsid for your target.
- Serotype screening panels (6-12 variants)
- Tissue-specific expression optimization
- Route-of-administration consulting
Need Custom Services? We offer flexible manufacturing scales and specialized serotypes not listed in our standard catalog.
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